How to turn off Xiaomi pop-up: the complete guide

Owners of Xiaomi smartphones and TVs often encounter intrusive ads that suddenly appear on top of the desktop or while using applications. It is not a system bug, but a built-in monetization mechanism that is by default active in the shell of MIUI and its successors. Annoying banners can overlap the interface, interfere with work and simply spoil the experience of using the device.

Fortunately, it allows you to manage these settings flexibly, so you don't have to be a programmer or get root rights to get rid of most of the ad blocks, but you just have to go through the settings menu consistently and disable a few key settings that are responsible for personalizing and getting recommendations from the system.

In this article, we will discuss all ways to eliminate pop-ups. We will touch on both standard methods through settings, and more advanced ones, such as disabling system services through ADB. Follow the instructions carefully to make using your gadget as comfortable and clean as possible.

The Nature of Advertising Windows in MIUI and HyperOS

Advertising in Xiaomi devices is the result of specialized system services. The main component responsible for collecting data about your actions and showing advertising offers is called MSA (MIUI System Ads), which is the process that generates most pop-ups in standard applications such as Explorer, Music or Security.

In addition to MSA, other services, such as mab or daemon, are responsible for various types of notifications, and can run in the background and activate when connecting to Wi-Fi or running certain applications, and understanding what process triggers a pop-up helps you choose the most effective method of dealing with it.

Why is Xiaomi embedding ads?
The company sells its devices at a minimal margin, often even at zero or a small minus. MIUI/HyperOS. By disabling advertising, you deprive the company of some revenue, but you get a clean interface.

Importantly, with the release of the new HyperOS shell, the ad architecture has changed somewhat, but the principles have remained the same: the user experience suffers less if you complete a “clean-up” of privacy settings immediately after buying a device or updating your firmware.

MSA Disconnection: The Main Source of Advertising

The first and most important step is to disable the MSA service. Without this component, the system will no longer receive commands to display banner ads in the interface. The procedure requires care, as the system will try to "persuade" you to leave the service on.

To start, go to your device’s settings menu. Find a section that could be called “Passwords and Security” or simply “Security.” Inside this section, look for “Access to Personal Data (or “Authorization and Confidentiality”). In some firmware versions, the path may look like Settings → Passwords and Security → Privacy → Special Permissions → Access to Personal Data.

☑️ Pre-switch check MSA

Done: 0 / 4

In the list that opens, find msa. The switch next to it should be active. Click on it to turn it off. The system will issue a warning that some functions may stop working correctly, and start a countdown (usually 10 seconds).

You have to wait until the timer ends and press the Disable button. However, this is rare the first time. The interface may be "glutting", the button may not be pressed, or the system will insist on continuing to work. In this case, just try again 2-3 times. Usually, the switch is successfully deactivated by 3-4 times.

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MSA is responsible for 90 percent of all advertising on the system, and disabling it is a top priority for clean interfaces.

Customization of personalization and recommendations

When you turn off the main ad service, you need to remove recommendations that may appear in folders, desktops, and menus, and these settings are scattered across different sections, so be careful when searching.

Go to Settings → Passwords & Security → Privacy → Advertising Services. This is the Personalized Ads switch. It needs to be turned off. This will prevent the system from using your data to target ads.

📊 Where you are most annoyed by advertising?
In the application folders
In standard applications (Music/Video)
In the form of pop-up windows
Notifications.

Then go back to the main settings menu and find the Desktop section. In some versions, it's inside "Additional Settings" or "Extended Settings." Find Receive recommendations and deaktivirujte it. This will remove the promotional offers that Xiaomi often pops up in the app folders.

It's also worth checking the settings of the Security app. Open it, click on the gear in the corner, and find "Get recommendations." Disabling this option will clear the antivirus and optimizer interface of the news feed and advertising.

Managing Notifications in Standard Applications

Even after disabling MSA and recommendations, some embedded apps may continue to show notifications or open tabs when they launch, most commonly for Music, Video, Explorer, and Downloads.

Consider the table of the main applications and methods of disabling advertising in them:

AnnexThe path to adjustmentWhat to turn off
Music.Profile → Settings → Advanced settingsDisplaying Advertising, Recommendations
Downloads.Three points → SettingsReceive recommendations
ConductorMenus. → Settings → About the programmePress the icon 10 times, then turn off the recommendations
TopicsProfile → SettingsPersonal recommendations, Displaying advertising

The Music and Video app often require an additional step: click three dots in the corner, select Settings, then search for the Additional section. There will be a display ad toggler. Also, in the About section, you can click on the app logo several times to activate the hidden ad debugging menu.

⚠️ Note: In the Explorer app, the hidden menu is activated only after repeatedly (about 10 times) clicking the About icon or logo in the top corner.If the menu doesn't appear, try faster or slower.

Remember that when you update your firmware, your settings in your applications may reset, and checking these partitions periodically will help keep your system clean, and if you rarely use standard players, you can simply delete them or disable them through the application management menu.

Disabling Advertising in Mi Browser and System Notifications

The Mi Browser is one of the most active sources of pop-ups and news feeds, and if you're not using it as your primary browser, you'd better delete it or disable it immediately, and if you need it, you'll need to configure it properly.

Open your browser, click on the menu (three bars) and go to Settings → Privacy and Security. You should turn off all items related to personalization, secure browsing (which often just collects data) and recommendations.

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To completely get rid of advertising in the browser, install a third-party browser (Chrome, Firefox) with a built-in ad blocker and make it the default browser in Android settings.

System notifications may also contain advertising debris. Go to Settings → Notifications and Status bar → Notification management. Go through the list of system applications (Cleaner, Security, Mi Store) and turn off notification categories labeled as Marketing or Recommendations.

Advanced method: Disconnection via ADB

For users who want to securely remove ad packages and are not afraid to work with a computer, there is a method of using ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which allows you to completely “cut” advertising components from the system, making them impossible to remove even after resetting (without flashing).

For this you will need a PC, USB-cable and installed drivers ADB. On the phone, you need to turn on the developer mode (7 times click on the build number in "About the phone") and activate Debugging by USB.

Connect your phone to your computer and enter the following commands in the command line to remove advertising packages:

adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.miui.msa.global


adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.android.browser




adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.miui.android.fashiongallery




adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.miui.personalassistant

The first command removes the MSA service, the second - the browser, the third - "Wallpaper Carousel" (which can also show ads on the lock screen), the fourth - the tape of widgets to the left of the desktop.

⚠️ Attention: Use ADB Removal of critical system components (not specified in the manual) can cause unstable operation of the device or a “brick”. Only remove the intended purpose of which you are sure.

How to return deleted applications through ADB?
If you realized that you have deleted the extra, you can return the applications by command: adb shell cmd package install-existing package_name. For example: adb shell cmd package install-existing com.android.browser.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Is it safe to completely disable the MSA service?
Yes, it's safe to run the operating system. The phone won't stop calling, sending messages, or running apps. The only consequence is that you won't see Xiaomi's promotional offers on the system interfaces. Some users have noted that MSAs may stop updating themes in the theme store after they're disabled, but that's rare.
Why did it reappear after the ad was turned off?
This is most often the case after a major firmware update (MIUI or HyperOS), when the system resets some privacy settings to factory values, and the adverts may return if you accidentally agreed to the terms of the new user agreement when you first run the updated application, in which case the disabling procedure must be repeated.
Can I remove the ads on the lock screen?
Yes, this is the function of Wallpaper Carousel. To turn it off, go to Settings → Always on screen and lock screen. Find the option "Wallpaper Carousel" or "Glance" and turn it off. You can also choose a static image instead of a slideshow with news.
Does disabling advertising affect the speed of the smartphone?
In theory, turning off background ad services (MSA, mab) should have a positive impact on autonomy and speed, as the system will no longer waste resources on loading and rendering banners. In practice, on modern high-power smartphones, the difference may not be noticeable, but on budget models with a small amount of RAM, the performance gain can be noticeable.